Boston Athenaeum wins a 2026 Preservation Achievement Award

It was an incredible honor for our Boston Athenaeum team to accept the Paul & Niki Tsongas Award from Preservation Massachusetts on June 28th at the Massachusetts State House ceremony. This award recognizes “people and projects that have displayed the highest level of commitment to historic preservation in the Commonwealth”. The team was humbled to be amongst such an impressive group of deserving honorees.

The team was also thrilled to find out that the project won the People’s Preservation Choice Award! We would like to thank all who took the time to vote for our renovation and expansion work for this outstanding institution. We could not be more thrilled to celebrate this award that showcases the Boston Athenaeum’s dedication to the community.

Congratulations to the Boston Athenaeum and the entire design team!

Jaco Conry of Boston Magazine covers the rich history and recent changes of the city’s cultural gem, the Boston Athenaeum.

Director Leah Rosovsky says of the 23,200 SF renovation and expansion, “The critical focus was meeting our members’ needs. It was clear that they wanted more casual spaces, more places to converge. We were also interested in presenting ourselves as a more open and welcoming institution.”

Read more about our transformation to support the Athenaeum in broadening its programming, engaging more of Boston’s diverse population, and increasing transparency about its history in Boston Magazine’s 
“What the Boston Athenaeum’s $17 Million Renovation Looks Like”.

The Boston Athenæum, one of the oldest independent libraries in the United States, has reopened its doors after sixteen months of construction! The 23,200 SF renovation and expansion designed by Ann Beha Architects, now Annum Architects supports the institution in broadening its programming, engaging more of Boston’s diverse population, and increasing transparency about its history.

Read more about the Boston Athenæum’s revitalization and renewed dedication to the surrounding community in The Boston Globe’s “Boston Athenaeum, a remnant of the city’s Brahmin past, looks to engage an increasingly diverse population“.